A massage is defined as pressing, rubbing and manipulating your skin, muscles, tendons and ligaments. A massage may range from light stroking to deep pressure. There are many different kinds of massages including these common types:
·
Swedish
Massage- This
is a gentle form of massage that uses long strokes, kneading, deep circular
movements, vibration, and tapping to help relax and energize you.
·
Deep Massage- This
massage technique uses slower, more-forceful strokes to target the deeper
layers of muscle and connective tissue to help with muscle damage from
injuries.
·
Sports Massage- This
is similar to Swedish massage, but it's geared toward people involved in sport
activities to help prevent (or treat) injuries.
·
Trigger
Point Massage-This
massage focuses on areas of tight muscle fibers that can form in your muscles
after injuries or overuse.
1.
Massages boost
immunity: A massage boosts patients’ white blood cell count (which
plays a large role in defending the body from disease). It also improves immune
function for individuals with Human Immunodeficiency
Virus (HIV).
2.
Massages ease
muscle pain: Massage therapy increases and improves circulation. Just
like rubbing your elbow when you knock it on a table helps to relieve the
pain. Massage therapy is as effective as other methods of treatment for chronic
back pain.
3.
Massages
improve sleep: Not only can massage encourage a restful sleep. It helps
those who can’t otherwise comfortably rest. A massage promotes relaxation and
sleep in those undergoing chemo or radiation therapy. Massages help infants
sleep more, cry less, and be less stressed.
If parents want to do it themselves, it comes naturally. There’s not really a
particular technique. Whatever parents normally do to soothe their baby will be
effective.
4.
Massages offset
all the sitting you do: Most individuals are dealing with
some kind of postural stress “More often stress tends to show in the shoulders
and neck. Desk workers have more
advanced forms of postural stress. It may show up as pain or weakness in the
lower back and butt caused by prolonged periods of sitting. A massage can
counteract the imbalance caused from sitting, which means you can keep your desk job-as
long as you schedule a regular massage.
5.
Massages
relieve headaches: Massages decreases frequency and severity of tension
headaches. A single session of massage therapy immediately positively affects
perceived pain in patients with chronic tension headaches.
6.
Massages soothe anxiety and depression: Human
touch (in a context that is safe, friendly and professional) can be incredibly
therapeutic and relaxing. Women diagnosed with breast cancer who received
massage therapy three times a week reported being less depressed and less
angry. Patients who were depressed and anxious were much more relaxed and
happy, and had reduced stress levels after massage.
“A 60 minute massage is about the same
as 8 hours of sleep to your body.” (Anonymous)[i]
[i] Sources used:
·
“6 Surprising Benefits of Massage Therapy” by Katharine Watts
·
“HIV” from Wikipedia
·
“Massage: Get in touch with its many
benefits” by Mayo Clinic Staff
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